Rotary handle



G. I.I N'ocKwoon AND H. G. CARLSON.

ROTARYHANDLE. APPLICATION FILED IAN. s. 1920.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE I. ROCKWOOD AND HJALIi/IAR G. CARLSON, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSIGNORS TO ROCKWOOD SPRINKLER COMPANY OF MASSACHUSETTS,

WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF .MIASSACHUSETTSl ROTARY HANDLE. Y

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

Application filed January 8, 1920. Serial No. 350,134.

To all whom t may cof/wem: Y

Be it known that we, Gnonen I. Rockwool) and HJALMAR G. CARLSON, citizens of the United States, both residing at vWorcester, in the county of Torcester and State of h/lassachusetts, have invented a new :and useful Rotary Handle, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a handle capable of being used in many places, but particularly adapted for use on hand wheels, cranks and the like, and in places where it is desirable that the handle should rotate on a stationary spindle which supportsV it.

Heretofore handles of that type have been made to rotate on a stationary spindle for the same purpose, but they have been made solid, the spindle running all the Way through so that there was a circular joint on the convex end of the handle. The surfaces of this joint sometimes became rough and were capable of injuring the hand of the operator and also of receiving dust or particles of matter between them, tending to restrict or stop rotation.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide a handle of this character which will entirely avoid the necessity for a joint at the end, and also to provide a construction which can be made of sheet metal and thus greatly cheapen the cost of manufacture.

The invention also involves improvements in features of construction including the method of supporting both ends of the handle with respect to the spindle and preventing the separation of the two. Further objects and features of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, central. sectional yview of a handle constructed in accordance with this invention, and

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

The invention is shown as comprising, in the first place, a cylindrical spindle 10, provided With a circumferential enlargement 11, preferably integral with it and located at the end of the shank of the spindle, which is finally to be secured in the hand Wheel or other article to which the handle is to be applied.

The handle itself comprises a shell 12 formed entirely of sheet metal drawn up in dies and shaped with the same exterior outline, preferably, as the solid metal handle non7 on the market.

This hollow sheet metal shell 12 has a hemispherical butt end drawn down into an ovate form toward a neck 13 where it has its smallest diameter'. As drawn up` in the dies, the metal is of substantially the same thickness throughout and the neck is provided with an enlargement 14 at the end of the handle, the extreme end 15 ot which is originally formed in cylindrical shape, but with its diameter inside and outside larger than the diameter of the neck portion.

Tt may be stated at this point that this end part is turned inwardly into the form shown in Fig. 1 after the spindle is inserted so as to extend back of the enlargement 11 and form a groove 16 for receiving it. Thus this groove and enlargement constitute finally a locking means for preventing the longitudinal separation of the two parts, and also a bearing for the circular enlargement 11,

At the other end of the handle, that is the butt end, a socket member 2O is provided for the end of the spindle. This socket member can be formed of any desired material and in any desired way, but it is preferably formed as shown, ofa piece of sheet metal having a cylindrical portion 21, a flat circular iiange 22 at its open end and a circular flange 23 beyond it. The latter, during the process of manufacturing the handle, is set into the end of the blank and contacts with the inner surfaces thereof. This is done before the blank' is reduced to form the neck 13, and therefore that reduction results in bending in this cylindrical flange 23 at the point at which the diameter begins to decrease. T his convexes it and firmly fixes the socket against the end of the blank, holds it permanently in the desired position, and also prevents its moving sidewise as well as longitudinally.

In preparing the blank for the reception of the spindle, before the end 14 is turned inwardly, the interior is reamed out to provide an accurate bearing both inside the cylindri cal portion 21 of the socket and also along the narrow part of the neck 13 of the handle. This furnishes a sufiieiently long bearing for the spindle and provides a construction Furthermore, the entry of dust and dirt`V into the bearing surfaces is guarded against by the construction at the small end of the handle and spindle, the primary purpose of which is to prevent the separation of the parts.

If desired, the interior of the handle may be provided with grease 25 before the insertion of the spindle. The spindle will displace it so that it will lill the space around the spindle and serve to lubricate the Vbearing surfaces.V Y

Although we have illustrated and de scribed only a single form of the invention, and specified somewhat definitely a partlcular method of manufacture, we are aware of the fact that modifications can be made in both without departing from the scope ofthe invention as expressed in the claims. Thereforel we do not wish to be limitedv to all the details of construction or to j the specific method of manufacture setxforth, but what we claim is 1. As an article of manufacture, a rota-V table handleV consisting of `a substantially ovate pressed metal casing closed and seamless at the large end, a spindle located therein on which said casing is'rotatably supported, and a separate pressed sheet metal socket member at the closed end of the casing lo cated entirely inside itand secured against longitudinal motion therein by conforming to the interior shape of the casing at the point of largest diameter thereof, but having a bearing for the end'of the spindle. Y

2. In an article of the class described, the

Vcombination with a spindle, of a easing having a neck portion provided with a bearing for the spindle, and having an enlarged convex closed endy spaced from the spindle, and a sheet metal socket member located in the extremeV end of said casing and abutting against it, and having a central portion provided with a bearing in alignment with the first named bearing for said spindle, the end of the spindle engaging the second bearing, said socket member also being provided with a circular flange extending outwardly from the inner end of the bearing and a convex flange projectingfrom its circumference inwardly, engaging the concave interior of said end of the casing, and permanently fixing the socket member longitudinally in position.

3. In an article of the class described, the combination with a stationary spindle, of a casing having a reduced neck portion provided with a bearing forv the spindle, and having an'enlarged closed end spaced from the spindle, said closed end being of an ovate form, and a sheet metal socket member lo cated in the extreme large end of said'casing and abutting against it, and having a cylindrical portion provided with ,a'bearing in alignment with the first named bearing Vfor said spindle, the end ofthe spindle engaging the bottom of said bearing, said socket memberalso being provided with a circular flange extending outwardly from the end of the bearing and a convex flange projecting from' itscircumference, engaging the interior of said ovate end of the casing, and fitting the inner surfaces thereof, whereby it is permanently fixed in position. i V

In testimony whereof weV have Vhereunto aiiixed our signatures. Y

' GEORGIE4 I. ROCKWOOD HJALMAR G VCARLSO'N. 

